February 11, 2016
Hato Petera whanau overcomes building obstacle
After the working bee to end all working bees, Hato Petera College on Auckland's North Shore has reopened for boarding students.
Last year the Catholic Diocese of Auckland announced the school's hostels were in such poor condition they would have to close, and the school would only take day students or students billeted elsewhere.
The Hato Petera Whanau Trust refused to accept that as final, and negotiated with Bishop Patrick Dunn.
Project manager Viv Hahipene says the diocese refused to spend anything more on the school, so over the summer break volunteers put 5000 hours of labour and almost $100,000 of donated materials into refurbishing the hostels.
He says the buildings had been left in a poor state by the previous manager.
"So when we got there carpet was removed , copper taken out, there was holes in the wall, so what we were faced with wasn't just a face over or a do up it was actually having to reinstate a lot of the light war,e the beds, washing machine, the table and chairs," he says.
Viv Hahipene says the hostel received a certificate of compliance from the Minstry of Education last week and new and returning students have heen welcomed back.
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